Scandalous
by Lynne Sunnydale
Summary: Bella left Forks and a her heartbreaking past behind, but when a friend falls ill she decides that she'll have to face her scandalous past head on and go back home. What she discovers there changes her life forever - again. E/B
1. Coming Home

**AUTHORS NOTE**

**So this is Scandalous. I'll be working on it over the summer on break from school, so I don't expect it to take that long. It should come in updates of two or three chapters at a time because that chapters will be shorter. That's how I like them :) I may also make a prequel to this of them when they are teenagers, but I've not decided. ENJOY!**

* * *

I hoisted myself into my red pick-up truck carefully, making sure not to cause any sudden movement that might upset my already vulnerable stomach. I'd had one to many shots last night, but could you blame me? I was about to embark on an adventure that I wanted nothing to do with. Liquid courage was a requirement.

Looking around the cab of my truck I made sure I had all the necessities for a road trip. Luggage – check. Coffee – check. Plenty of bad music – check. It was a go.

Slowly I put the truck in gear and made my way on the free-way. My phone caught my eye and it was glaring at me. "Just do it and get it over with." It was saying. Finally after fifteen minutes of glancing between the road and my phone, I picked it up and just as I was getting ready to hit '1' on the speed dial, it rang.

"Hey Alice, I just getting ready to call you." I answered.

"I know. I was getting tired of waiting so I just called you instead!" My best friend's perky voice exclaimed through the phone.

"How did you know I was going to call you?"

"I just know these things. You sound awful by the way!"

There was no argument there, on either count. Alice did always have a knack for knowing certain things. And I did sound awfully hung over.

"Yeah, I know." I sighed, "It's just a hangover. Jell-O shots, you know how those sneak up on me."

"Isabella! Why were you out drinking last night?"

I took a deep breath and prepared to say the words I never thought I'd have to say ever again.

"I'm coming home Alice. I'm coming back to Forks."

I heard her squeal of delight and I felt as if we were teenagers again who just got the okay to have a sleep over, but we weren't and this wasn't a fun trip. I had to remind myself about that.

"I'm not coming home for him, Alice. This is strictly for Emmett…and Rose."

"But, Bella-"

"No, Alice." I spoke strongly.

She paused for a moment; I almost thought our connection had been broken.

"He misses you, Bella. Very much so. That's all I will say." Alice's voice began to crack.

"I should be there in about 15 hours. Oh and Alice?"

"Yes, Bella?"

"Don't tell him. Let it be a surprise." With those final words I flipped my phone shut.

* * *

(_15 hours later)_

"Hi honey drop, everything all right? Are you all right? Nothing happened did it? Do you need me? If you need me just tell me and I'll be right there Bella, I swear, I'll be right there!"

"No, No! I mean, everything is fine! Nothing to worry about. I just stopped for gas and was calling to see how you are." I spoke into my phone.

"Oh, okay. Good. I'm good honey, just missing you!"

"I miss you too." I said with a smile on my face. It was nice to be missed.

"Ok. Well, House Hunters is on, gotta go. Kisses, mwah, mwah, mwah!"

"Mwah." I said lamely as I hung up the phone.

That was one of the things I disliked about my relationship. He had his flaws, but I suppose I had mine too.

I finished pumping my gas before I went in to buy some potato chips and chocolate milk. Hey, I girl needs to eat dinner!

Before long I was back on the road again passing the ever-hated sign, THE CITY OF FORKS WELCOMES YOU. Bite me.

I could feel my heart thumping faster and faster in my chest along with the butterflies fluttering harder and harder in my tummy. My nervousness was out of control and I almost took a right turn that led to the bar, but I knew nothing could really quell this feeling.

Twigs snapped and fallen leaves crunched under my tires as I turned down the road that leads to the small mansion where Alice's parents, Esme and Carlisle, lived. I'd always loved this house, heck I'd practically grown up in this house. It was strange being here under these circumstances.

It had been let go a little it seemed. The windows needed washing, the stucco needed a fresh coat of paint, the yard needed trimming, and Esme's once prized garden was now wilted.

As I walked to the door, I paused at a little white wedding arch that was now dusted with rust. I looked at it forlornly before standing up straight and finishing my trek to the door. This visit wasn't about him, or us.

A sparkle on my finger caught my eye just as I was about to unlock the door. I eyed my ring for a moment, trying to decide if it was the right time or not. Finally, I plucked the engagement ring off my finger and pocketed it before letting myself in.

My instinct was to shout out something along the lines of "Honey I'm home!", but I didn't know where a certain somebody was, so I crept along the front hall after I dumped my luggage at the door.

There were photographs, tons of them. All of us kids when we were small, when we were a little older, some pictures of them as they are now. First steps, first days, school dances, proms, graduations, weddings…I picked up a photo staring hard at the two teenagers dressed in a tux and a gown standing underneath a white wedding arch, this one NOT dusted with rust. I set the picture face down on its frame.

I heard voices coming from the kitchen, so I headed that way, but the vision in front of me stopped my heart completely.

There he was slouching against the counter in a pair of jeans with a black t-shirt on. His bronze hair was sticking up every which way, as usual.

I hung out in the doorway, praying he wouldn't see me.

"Daddy, can I have juice?" a soft voice spoke.

Immediately a feeling of not only jealousy, but also rage came over me. It was inexplicable.

"Of course buddy, what kind?" He sounded tired, but was obviously putting on a front for the kid.

"Apple!"

"Apple!" he mimicked, "Let me see your cup, son."

I watched as they interacted, as he picked him up, hugged him, and squeezed him. I calculated in my head, he should be about five now.

I even watched as they said their "I love you's".

"Love you, Daddy!" The little boy giggled.

"I love you too, Eli Charles."

I gasped as my keys slipped out of my hands and landed on the floor with a cling. Suddenly two sets of eyes were on me. One set of eyes were blue and looked curious. The other set of eyes were green and held a mixture of surprise and terror.

"How dare you, Edward." Is all I said before I stormed out of the house.


	2. Charlie

The door handle rattled as I turned the key in the lock. I entered the house that was so much different from Esme and Carlisle's. It was small, quaint, and a little smelly.

I instantly heard the blast from the football game recaps and saw my father sitting on the couch watching me walk through the door.

"Hey, I wasn't sure you were still up." I paused to drop my purse by the door.

"Yup, I'm up. Didn't 'spect to see you in town."

"Yeah." I just said lamely.

I took a minute to look around. Nothing had changed. Same yellow wall-paper and ugly linoleum floor in the kitchen, same shag green carpet in the living room. There was the same clock hung above the old brick fireplace. What caught my eye was a picture on the dresser next to the staircase. It was the same two teenagers standing under the same white wedding arch from Esme and Carlisle's house.

"Gah, does everyone and their mama have this picture?" I questioned, thinking Charlie would just ignore it. Again, I put the picture face down on its frame.

"I don't know about everyone else's mama, but how about everyone and your mama?" My dad cracked a smile.

"Ha-ha, dad, so funny." I said, turning towards him.

We just stared at each other, no one saying anything. A silent communication seemed to happen and he understood exactly what I was saying.

He lowered the volume on the television and hopped up from the couch with a sigh. He returned from the fridge with two beers on hand.

"How's Emmett?" He asked, handing me a beer

We both took a seat next to each other on the couch before popping open our beers.

"I don't know. I didn't get that far." I took a deep drink.

"You ran into him, huh."

I just shook my head, chugging my beer some more.

"That's the law of the universe. You always run into the one you want to see last, first." Charlie contemplated as he took a chug of his own drink.

I stared at my dad for a bit. His ruffled appearance was not unlike his usual self, but it was worse than I remembered.

"Why didn't you tell me, dad?" I finally asked.

He took a breath before he answered, like he'd been preparing for this question.

"You didn't want to know, Bella. You said you didn't want to hear anything about Edward or the kid."

"Don't you think his name was something I'd want to know? Didn't you think it was important?" I exclaimed, jumping from the couch and throwing my empty can across the room.

My father jumped up, matching my raised voice.

"I think it's all something you'd want to know! It's all important, Bella! You and Edward are-"

"Nothing! Me and Edward are nothing!"

Charlie raised his hands up in surrender.

"Look, that's between you and Edward. I didn't tell you about Eli's name because I knew it would just cause more of an upset than anything…and you didn't need that, Bells."

I lowered my head.

Charlie wrapped me in an awkward dad hug before speaking again.

"I know you want to go visit him tomorrow. I usually go every Sunday, but I can make an exception this Saturday if you'd like some company. You don't have to be alone."

I nodded my head into his shoulder, letting a few salty tears seep into his plaid shirt.

"I wish I would have listened to you and mom. Maybe life would have turned out different." I mumbled into his warm neck.

"Don't do that, Bella. Don't think about the 'what ifs'. It'll do nothing but break your heart."

"It's already broken." I sniffed.

"Really? Because either that's a diamond ring in your pocket or…well, I don't know what else."

I quickly parted myself from my father before grabbing my ring out of my jean pocket where I'd stashed it earlier in the night.

"Oh…yeah.", I looked up into Charlie's eyes, "Dad, I promise you I'll tell you all about him sometime soon, but tonight's just not the right time."

"I get it.", he paused, "Does new guy know about your situation?"

"No." I said guiltily.

"Isabella, go to bed." He shook his head.

"Yes daddy."


End file.
